Just how smart you think a bass is about lures???

[Gavin]

Fish get so much pressure on public water. There might be a 14lb public water LMB in MO, but thinking not. Every fish on public gets fished for, and it can be caught, gigged, bow fished, snagged, or netted by anyone with a desire too. Pressure limits the size potential, they are not smart. If they dont eat...They are not active...Find them when they are and you will catch them.

 

[Mark]

Sure, fishing pressure is huge, probably the biggest factor. I'm far from an expert, but consider a trout stream that had stocked fish and naturally reproduced fish. It would seem like the hatchery raised fish that are fed and grow with no predators until released would not be as be as leery as a fish that has survived in nature with predators. It sure seems like after a stocking, the stocked fish are aggressive feeders, assuming I am correct that stocked trout have a whiter flesh compared to the pink flesh of a naturally reproduced trout. Is that correct?? I would think the natural fish would develop better survival instincts.

[Quillback]

My experiences with wild trout are that they aren't any tougher to catch than stockers.  I think just about every wild trout stream in the west have gone to catch and release rules, if not, the fish would get wiped out.

[fishinwrench]

7 minutes ago, Mark said:

Sure, fishing pressure is huge, probably the biggest factor. I'm far from an expert, but consider a trout stream that had stocked fish and naturally reproduced fish. It would seem like the hatchery raised fish that are fed and grow with no predators until released would not be as be as leery as a fish that has survived in nature with predators. It sure seems like after a stocking, the stocked fish are aggressive feeders, assuming I am correct that stocked trout have a whiter flesh compared to the pink flesh of a naturally reproduced trout. Is that correct?? I would think the natural fish would develop better survival instincts.

A dog that is fed nothing but Science Diet for the first 3 years of its life will still chase a rabbit, and pounce on a chicken without hesitation. 

Truly wild fish will typically be more aggressive feeders than recently stocked hatchery fish.

Hatchery fish do tend to stay gathered in groups, whereas wild streamborn fish will be loners.  

The pink meat thing doesn't mean anything.  I'm not sure what causes some trout to have pink flesh, but truly wild fish can have white flesh, and some hatchery fish can have pink flesh.

[tjm]

Astaxanthin, a  keto-carotenoid  (yellow, red, orange pigment) produced by algae and passed through scuds and such to the trout gives them color,  it can be added to the pellets and have the same effect on farm raised trout- all them super market and restaurant trout ain't wild caught. 

Truly wild grown trout  in an inaccessible glacial lake   are easier caught than any hatchery reared trout I've ever seen. They are so naive.

[Mitch f]

Now if they could just figure out a way to eradicate those Asian carp efficiently.

I saw a video recently where they cornered the carp against a dam and electro shocked them. After watching he video, it seemed like a great opportunity at first, but their method of closing the deal left me wondering if they had thought it out completely.

[snagged in outlet 3]

3 hours ago, Mitch f said:

Now if they could just figure out a way to eradicate those Asian carp efficiently.

I saw a video recently where they cornered the carp against a dam and electro shocked them. After watching he video, it seemed like a great opportunity at first, but their method of closing the deal left me wondering if they had thought it out completely.

I saw that video.  Futile at best.  They netted them out of Creve Coeur Lake last year.  Loaded with them again already this year.  Unless you cutoff Creve Coeur Creek you can forget it.